WARRINGTON’S Burtonwood airbase Heritage Centre is bidding for £55,000 from the Heritage Lottery to create a living history of the base.
The town’s Mayor and Mayoress Cllr Geoff and Mrs Jean Settle, visited the heritage centre museum situated at Gulliver’s World, Old Hall, to hand over a letter of support for the bid, which if successful, will fund the creation of an oral history and an archive of personal memories from people who served and worked on what was the largest US airbase in Europe during WWII.
As time passes these stories, anecdotes and verbal histories are being lost forever so archiving these precious memories is of real importance to the history of the town and beyond. The Imperial War Museum are supporting the bid and have offered to host the recordings once created.
Strategic Director Stephen Tasker said: “The Oral history recording project is being enthusiastically received – the more support we can get the greater the probability of making this happen.
“The project is to be maintained by The Imperial War Museum and will be available on line and in the Burtonwood Heritage Centre.
“We have recordings planned with veterans attending a reunion in May- several coming from the USA – the oldest is aged 94 served in WWII.
“We would welcome contact from local people associated with the base, not only military, who would have an interest to participate.”
RAF Burtonwood has a fascinating history and is inextricably linked to the lives of many Warrington people. Over 7500 marriages were conducted during the airbases operational lifespan and a genuine Nissan hut was acquired by the Burtonwood association from near Gatwick and relocated and converted into a chapel where a wonderful exhibit of GI brides memorabilia can be viewed including a selection of genuine GI brides dresses.
Centre manager, Roy Thorpe Apps, conducts tours and talks to many groups including local schools, interest groups and of course many ex-servicemen who come to revisit their old base. A lot of the articles on display have been donated by local people and the Association are always on the look out for more donations from people who come across relevant items in their attics.
There are also regular dances where you can turn back the clock and enjoy an evening of entertainment.
To share your memories contact Stephen by email [email protected] or call 07973 870582.
The centre is free to visit and is open to the public from Wednesday-Sunday, 10:30am until 5pm.
Roy Thorpe Apps (left) and Stephen Tasker (centre) with the mayor and mayoress during a tour of the museum. PICTURE PAUL JACKSON
PICTURES PAUL JACKSON
